How to hire an assistant director of plant operations

How to hire an assistant director of plant operations, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant director of plant operations hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant director of plant operations job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant director of plant operations
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your assistant director of plant operations job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an assistant director of plant operations for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An assistant director of plant operations's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, assistant directors of plant operations from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of assistant directors of plant operations and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Assistant Director Of Plant Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Director Of Plant Operations		$40-84
   Lead Mechanic	A lead mechanic coordinates the teams of mechanics and ensures the timely completion of repairs. Lead mechanics supervise their subordinates, order mechanical parts, and inspect their work making sure that the standards are met... Show more	$19-35
   Section Chief	A section chief's job varies with the type of organization. In most cases, a section chief is the head of a given section in an organization that is tasked with performing certain duties... Show more	$17-78

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Plant Operations
   • HVAC
   • Plumbing
   • NFPA
   • Capital Budgets
   • CMS
   • Construction Projects
   • BIO
   • Snow Removal
   • MSDS
   • Safety Training
   • Fire Protection
   • TJC
   • Facility Maintenance

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement comprehensive ERP solution to manage inventory, customer relationships and financial applications.
   • Schedule and delegate work using CMMS.
   • Provide oversight of the development and implementation of all energy efficiency initiatives.
   • Exploit data from airborne reconnaissance platforms and ensure senior decision makers; maintain information superiority to prosecute combat operations.
   • Exploit data from airborne reconnaissance platforms and ensure senior decision makers; maintain information superiority to prosecute combat operations.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your assistant director of plant operations job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An assistant director of plant operations can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, assistant directors of plant operations' average salary in kentucky is 47% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level assistant directors of plant operations 52% less than senior-level assistant directors of plant operations.
   • Certifications. An assistant director of plant operations with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an assistant director of plant operations's salary.

   Average assistant director of plant operations salary

   $122,794yearly

   $59.04 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant director of plant operations salary

   $85,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing an assistant director of plant operations job description

   A good assistant director of plant operations job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an assistant director of plant operations job description:

   Assistant director of plant operations job description example

   
   Short Description
   
   

   Assist with the directing and control of the Hospital Plant, surrounding administrative buildings and some Outpatient Facilities 24/7/365. Work with a team of experienced, qualified professionals to ensure that value objectives are met in all maintenance, plant engineering, and capital improvements.

   Supervise a team of +/- 40 individuals including electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, carpenters, PM mechanics, licensed stationary engineers, and general maintenance and plant operations. Experience with a unionized workforce a plus.

   Assist with the planning, directing, managing and coordinate all aspects of plant engineering and maintenance. Ability to give input for a predictive maintenance, corrective maintenance and operations budget.

   Understanding and ability to optimize building controls for improved efficiencies.

   Experience in working with a computerized maintenance management system with the goal of improving data and performance. Develop measurable delivery metrics to chart and affirm Maintenance and Operations Departments are on a continual path of improvement.

   Customer Service oriented with excellent written and oral communication skills. The ability to work with leaders from other departments within the system is a must.

   Interact with the Design & Construction Department to champion maintenance and plant operations standards and requirements for new construction projects.

   Goal oriented individual with a willingness to champion the critical role of Maintenance Operations.

   
   Experience Required
   
   

   2 years' experience in facilities management. Experience with direct responsibility for plant engineering and maintenance in a healthcare facility.

   Demonstrated experience with service and maintenance contract administration.

   Experience in managing operational and capital projects.

   
   Education Requirements
   
   

   Bachelor's degree or Technical degree with demonstrated on-going continuing education in related areas such as engineering, facilities management, HVAC or controls management, or general management or applicable job experience

   
   Special Requirements
   
   

   CHFM (Certified Healthcare Facility Manager) preferred;

   Working knowledge of TJC (The Joint Commission) requirements including NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) preferred.

   Scheduled Days / Hours: M-F 7-3:30, On Call As Needed

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find assistant directors of plant operations for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant director of plant operations job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant director of plant operations candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting assistant directors of plant operations requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant director of plant operations

   Once you've decided on a perfect assistant director of plant operations candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new assistant director of plant operations first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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